The long-term goal of the proposed research is to investigate alkene metabolism. The extent of alkene oxidation and the role of aliphatic epoxide (alkene oxides) as intermediates in such biotransformations are to be studied. An initial aim is to extend our structure-mutagenicty relationships for alkene oxides and compare them to glutathione and hydratase detoxification systems. DNA binding studies and characterization of the site of binding will be conducted for selected epoxides. Such binding studies are of particular interest for those epoxides showing a high ratio of mutagenicity to detoxification as a further indication of their toxicity and carcinogenicity. The proposed studies of alkene oxides as related to alkene metabolism would be analogous to the more established role of arene oxides in the toxicity and detoxification of aromatic compounds.